Scholarships for Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Majors

William Hegarty Scholarship

William Hegarty embraced higher education throughout his police career. Obtaining a degree while on Oakland Police Department in California, Hegarty moved to Michigan State University for graduate studies. After completing graduate school, he joined the faculty at Michigan State. He left MSU to become the director of Public Safety in Jackson, Michigan in 1972. In 1974 Chief Hegarty led the new Rochelle Police Department in New York until he came to Grand Rapids. Hegarty was Chief of the Grand Rapids Police Department from 1982 to 1997 and taught as an adjunct in the School of Criminal Justice at Grand Valley from 1984 until 1997. Chief Hegarty had a special fondness for GVSU and his teaching legacy lives on. He donated funds to establish Hegarty Criminal Justice scholarship when he retired. The William Hegarty Scholarship is awarded on a yearly basis to a Grand Valley State University Criminal Justice graduate student, working in law enforcement.

Shawn D. Wiersma Criminal Justice Memorial Scholarship

On September 6, 2004, Shawn Wiersma died in a tragic auto crash. Shawn is remembered for his service to the Holland Police Department through the City Attorney’s Office, a client of the Cunningham Dalman P.C. law office where he practiced. He developed many friendships within the police department and was highly respected for his ethics and character by clients and colleagues alike. In addition, Shawn is remembered for his service as an adjunct instructor in the Grand Valley State University School of Criminal Justice. He was highly respected by students and colleagues for his vast knowledge on a wide range of subjects. He truly enjoyed and loved his teaching experience that was reflected in his close ties with his students. Shawn is remembered for all the good he did and all the people he touched in his shortened life. To memorialize him in perpetuity, an endowed scholarship in Shawn’s name has been established at Grand Valley State University, his alma mater. This scholarship will be given annually to an entering senior student in the School of Criminal Justice who plans to enter the police or law professions.

Mullendore Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Scholarship

Kristine Mullendore graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1977, with a Juris Doctor degree, and held positions with the Michigan Court of Appeals, as well as working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Kent County. Since 1995, she has been a faculty member at the School of Criminal Justice/ Legal Studies program at GVSU. James M. Mullendore received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Virginia School of Law 1975, and since then has been in private legal practice in Greenville, Michigan. Both Kristine and James are active members of the Michigan Bar Association. The purpose of the Mullendore Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Scholarship is to recognize and reward students who major in either Legal Studies or Criminal Justice with the intention of entering and contributing to the legal profession, as well as who demonstrate financial need. The Mullendores also hope to encourage students to participate in international educational opportunities.

Justice and Society Endowed Scholarship

The Justice and Society Endowed Scholarship was established by Grand Valley State University (GVSU) School of Criminal Justice faculty to recognize and reward criminal justice majors who have demonstrated academic potential to excel in their criminal justice studies at GVSU. All proceeds from the sales of the faculty-authored Justice and Society textbook were donated to establish this scholarship. The collaborative effort of the Justice and Society authors reflect their dedication to